August 17, 2010

Daley calls Rostenkowski the 'nation's congressman' at funeral

The casket of former U.S. Rep. Dan Rostenkowski is brought into St. Stanislaus Kostka Church. (Nancy Stone/Tribune)

Posted by Tribune staff at 4 a.m.; last updated at 11:58 a.m.

Chicago's political class is gathered at a North Side church this morning for the funeral of former U.S. Rep. Dan Rostenkowski, who rose to become one of the nation's most powerful congressional leaders before a major fall spurred by corruption charges.

Mayor Richard Daley told those gathered that Rostenkowski was "a force of nature" who came "as close as anyone can be to being the nation's congressman."

"But he was always proud to be a working class kid from the Northwest Side," Daley said, offering a litany of big ticket Chicago projects including expressway construction and airport expansion that Rostenkowski ushered through Congress for Chicago.

Daley choked up as he thanked Rostenkowski for his friendship and help in his career.

Rostenkowski's service featured patriotic music, with "Our Country Tis of Thee" the processional and "The Battle Hymn of the Republic" the recessional.

Before the service began at St. Stanislaus Kostka Church, many public officials lined up in the center aisle. The mayor, former Commerce Secretary William Daley and embattled U.S. Rep. Charles Rangel of New York were among those wearing gray gloves and acting as pall bearers.

Also in the crowd are U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin, Cook County Commissioner John Daley, Tax Review Commissioner Joseph Berrios, Metropolitan Water Reclamation District President Terry O'Brien, Ald. Ray Suarez, 31st, Ald. Edward Burke, 14th, and County Treasurer Maria Pappas. Former aldermen Ted Matlak and Burt Natarus are also on hand.

Mourners who arrived at St. Stanislaus were given a card with a picture of Rostenkowski and a poem.

They were also given a card signed by Father Anthony Bus, church pastor, extending his condolences to the Rostenkowski family and thanking them for their work to save the church from demolition during construction of the expressway.

"Congressman Dan Rostenkowski will be remembered as a strong advocate for the rights of the people of this great nation, and an icon in the city of Chicago," the card signed by Bus reads in part.

Rostenkowski, 82, who was suffering from cancer, died Wednesday at his
Wisconsin summer home near Benedict Lake.

Hundreds also paid their respects at a Monday visitation at the church,
recalling the Northwest Side ward boss who reigned as U.S. House Ways
and Means Committee chairman and brought billions of dollars in federal
money back to Illinois.

With the service now over at the church that stands in the shadows of the Kennedy
Expressway, the burial will follow at St. Adalbert's, the large Catholic
cemetery in Niles.

Rostenkowski thrived during an era in Washington when hardball politics
was tempered by compromise. During his 36-year tenure in Congress, he
relished his role as a dealmaker with the likes of Democratic Speaker
Thomas P. "Tip" O'Neill and Republican Presidents Ronald Reagan and
George H.W. Bush.

But he became a political anachronism, losing his House seat just months
after being indicted on federal charges of accepting kickbacks and
diverting taxpayer dollars for personal use. He served 15 months in
prison after pleading guilty to mail fraud, a conviction wiped out with a
pardon issued by President Bill Clinton.

After his release from prison, Rostenkowski enjoyed a renaissance of
sorts, becoming a local political commentator on television, working as a
consultant and enjoying storytelling sessions over dinner until cancer
led him to spend most of his recent months at his summer home across the
Wisconsin border.

Upon his passing, Rostenkowski's political legacy drew praise from former presidents Bush and Bill Clinton, Mayor Richard Daley, and scores of congressmen and Chicago aldermen.

Rostenkowski was the longtime Democratic committeeman for the 32nd Ward,
burly and blunt-speaking, with a meat-and-potatoes style that charmed
Washington elites and his Polish neighbors on the Northwest Side.

Long known as former Mayor Richard J. Daley's man in Washington,
Rostenkowski went to Congress in 1959 and five years later got a seat on
the prestigious Ways and Means Committee. His seniority led to assuming
the committee chairmanship in 1981, a post he held until his 1994
upset.

He steered huge blocks of federal cash to the Chicago region for
repaving the Kennedy Expressway, expanding the CTA and building the
massive Deep Tunnel flood relief program. He launched the federal
passenger facility taxes that airline customers pay — funds that helped
rebuild O'Hare International and Midway airports.

Nationally, Rostenkowski played a major role in fashioning deals on
Social Security solvency and deficit reduction. He won national support
with a radio address countering Reagan's tax proposals and used that
backing as leverage in the 1986 legislation that streamlined federal
income-tax laws.

His real political problems began with a seemingly minor scandal involving
postage stamps in 1992. He and several other legislators were accused of
abusing congressional postal privileges to make money. Over two years,
investigations by both federal authorities and enterprising reporters
deepened, and Rostenkowski was accused of wantonly spending the perks of
his office.

He was indicted in 1994 on 17 counts charging him with a range of
offenses from mail and wire fraud to obstruction of justice.
Rostenkowski was accused of hiring ghost payrollers, keeping office
slush funds and showering gifts on political supporters and friends —
time-honored methods of conducting political business in Chicago.

But times had changed, and behavior that was once winked at no longer
got a pass. The powerful Rostenkowski, who maintained his innocence
throughout the investigation, lost favor even among his once-loyal
political base in Chicago.

He ran a lackluster campaign for re-election in 1994, and five months
after the indictments were issued, he was unseated by a political
neophyte, Republican Michael Patrick Flanagan, who served one term in
Congress and became forever an answer to a Chicago trivia question.
Then-state Rep. Rod Blagojevich was Flanagan's successor.

Rostenkowski is survived by his wife; three daughters, Gayle, Dawn and
Kristie, all of whom use the last name Rosten; and a grandson.

"Rostenkowski is survived by his wife; three daughters, Gayle, Dawn and Kristie, all of whom use the last name Rosten; and a grandson."

Bad form to speak of the dead. But no crocodile tears from me.

The Fat Cat got caught. From a once Proud Mr. Chairman to a Mr. I'm Innocent Felon!

From Rostenkowski to Rosten. Just goes to show even his own clan abandoned the once proud name.

The arrogant crook abused his power for what? Chump change? At least the Super Crook Bernard Madoff’s swindled $50 billion to make it worthwhile before calling it a day. This guy had everything at his fingertips and end up in jail for "postage stamps" and "hiring ghost payrollers". The Dummy got it coming.

Had a he been a Republican hero, he would have started a war for no reason, with no way to pay for it, that killed and maimed thousands of human beings......and he would have done it in the name of Jesus too!

Rosty was somewhat of a modern day Robinhood .Preagmaticaly speaking,not all is black or white in life. Most of it is grey .
Idealists donot like the way he was, however, the regular everyday person benefited fromthe things he did.
A relative of mine knew him quite well. He was a good man.
The problem with politics is that it corrupts most people in time .

The bad stuff about him is true. Have to take the good with the bad, whether you adored him or hated him. But isn't that how politics goes? Democrats, Republicans, they are all the same. Sure, may he rest in peace. And here's hoping he gets his just desserts in the afterlife.

Enough has been written about what he did wrong in his political career. He can't defend himself or acknowledge his mistakes anymore. How about acknowledging his good traits and the good that he did for his family, his city, his state and his country? I hope nobody is classless enough to disparage you when you pass on.

He was indicted in 1994 on 17 counts charging him with a range of offenses from mail and wire fraud to obstruction of justice. Rostenkowski was accused of hiring ghost payrollers, keeping office slush funds and showering gifts on political supporters and friends — time-honored methods of conducting political business in Chicago.

All 50 aldermen on the Chicago City Council had to file paperwork earlier this year detailing their outside income and gifts. The Tribune took that ethics paperwork and posted the information here for you to see. You can search by ward number or alderman's last name.

The Cook County Assessor's office has put together lists of projected median property tax bills for all suburban towns and city neighborhoods. We've posted them for you to get a look at who's paying more and who's paying less.

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